Method of and apparatus for filling boxes



A ril 3, 1934. R. GUYER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING BOXES Filed Aug. 14, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l gwumto'o Reynolds Guy 61" P 1934- R. GUYER METHQD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING BOXES Filed Aug. 14, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M W w m S 2 W W M w on ma; 9 Y n 5 i 3mm ii v an k t. S u/m ||||I|H.\H|\||\H HH| h l ll| NH m 7 1 O f R v I I n a vd an an 6 v0 Iv r Q an 1|l PQ m. a Q. 66 Q Q f 0 llllllllllllllllllllllll ll dd R.

an M April 3, 1934. R. GUYER METHOD OF AND ArPARATUS FOR FILLING BOXES Filed Aug. 14, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Regnolds Guger lllll Patented Apr.3, 1934 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING BOXES Reynolds Guyer, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application August 14, 1930, Serial No. 475,368

Claims.

My invention relates to devices for and methods of packing articles in boxes and has for an object to provide a device and method whereby the articles may be rapidly packed in the boxes.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a device and method whereby the articles may be packed in open ended boxes having flaps for the closure thereof.

A stll further object of the invention resides in providing a device whereby the articles may be packed in relatively flat boxes open at the narrowest ends thereof by insertion of the article into such end of the box.

A A feature of the invention resides in the method of packing articles in boxes which consists in employing a cardboard support on which the article is mounted and in simultaneously formingrunnets on said support and inserting the'support into the box.

An object of the invention resides in the method of pack ng fabric articles in boxes which consists in holding the box upon a planiform base, in placing the article upon the base, in placing .;a cardboard support upon the article, in folding the article over the support, and in thereafter sliding the support with the article therein along said base and into the box.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a device for packing articles in boxes including a base together with abutments for supporting a box with the bottom thereof overlying said base.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing a bar extending across the open end of said box above the same and mounted upon said base, and in attach ng to said bar a U- shaped spring clip for engagement with the top flap of the box to hold the same inopen position. A feature of the invention resides in attaching to said abutments spring fingers for engaging the end flaps of the box for holdng the same in open position.

An object of the invention resides in forming said base with a depression for the reception of the bottom flap of the box and providing said base with a member overlying said depression to engage the extreme end of the lower flap to hold the same in place.

Another object of the invention resides in scoring the cardboard support along spaced parallel lines to form an inner and an outer flange at each side of the support.

. A still further object of the invention resides in providing guides along said base for engagement with the flanges of said support to guide the support in its movement toward the box.

A feature of the. invention resides in disposing in proximity to said guides formers for retaining i the inner of the flanges of said cardboard support perpendicular to said support.

An object of the invention resides in providing other formers cooperating with said first named formers for folding the outer of the flanges of the support back upon the inner of the flanges thereof.

Another object of the invention resides in constructing the outer flanges of the support of a width equal to twice the width of the inner flanges to cause the body of the support to lie'midway between the walls of the box.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a plunger for reciprocating the support with the garment attached thereto along said guide to form the runners thereon and to insert the same into the box.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are plan views of my invention showing the parts in various positions.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 5 is a plan View of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1 drawn to a larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. l and drawn to the same scale as Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view similar to Fig. 7 viewed from the same side as Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional View taken on line 99 of Fig. 5 illustrating a support with the runners thereof completely formed.

Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary views similar to Figs. 4 and 9 showing the support partly formed and taken on lines 10-10 and 1111 of Fig. 5 respectively.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one form of box adapted to be used with my invention.

My invention as will presently become apparent may be used with any number of different kinds of boxes and used for packing various different articles. The present embodiment of my invention illustrated and described in this application is used for packing fabric articles, such as underwear or similar garments, and is particu- (ill more fully described in detail.

larly adapted to be used with boxes in which the garments are laid relatively flat and inserted endwise into the box.

The particular box illustrated in this application is shown in detail in Fig. 12, and is indicated in its entirety at 9. This box comprises a back 10, a front 11; and side walls 12 and 13 all formed from a single piece of material and glued or pasted together in any suitable manner. One end of the box indicated at 14 may be closed in any suitable manner as by flaps glued or pasted together. The other end of the box is adapted to be closed through a flap 15 extending the entire width of the box and issuing outwardly from the back 10. This flap is provided with a tab 150 adapted to be inserted into the box proper. In addition two side flaps 16 and 1'7 are provided which extend outwardly from the sides 12 and 13. These flaps may be of any suitable length though in the formation of the box in the most economical manner, said flaps are usually of the same length as the flap 15. Along the top 11 of the box is formed another flap 18 which is folded along the line 19 and constructed with a tab 20. This flap is preferably of a width considerably less than the width of the box and the tab 20 is adapted to be inserted into a slot 21 in flap 15 when the flaps are folded in position. In closing the box, the flaps 16 and 1'7 are first turned in and the flap 1%) folded upon the same with the tab 150 extending into the box. The flap 18 is next folded over the other flaps and the tab 20 inserted into the slot 21 holding all of the flaps in closed position.

The device for inserting the articles into the box 9 is best shown in Figs. 1, 5 and '7. This de vice comprises a base 22 which may be constructed of wood or some other suitable material. When the base 22 is constructed of wood the same is preferably covered at one end thereof with a plate 29 of sheet metal which extends completely across the same. Upon this plate is disposed two angle members 23 and 24 which are spaced from one another a distance equal to the width of the box to be employed and which form abutments for holding the box in position. These angle members may be secured to the base through screws 25 or through any other suitable means, which pass through the flanges thereof and through the plate 29. A similar angle member 26 extends between the two angle members 23 and 24 and serves as a stop for retaining the box in proper position when the articles are packed within the same. This angle member may be attached to the base 22 by screws 31 the same as the other angle members. .In the use of the device, the box 9 is placed between the abutments 23 and 24 and against the stop 26 and is so retained while the same is being packed.

Extending in the same direction as the abutments 23 and 24 I provide two angle iron guides 2'7 and 28 which are provided with upwardly extending flanges 29 and with flanges 30 adapted to overlie the base 22. The flanges 30 are preferably received in grooves 32 formed in the base 22 and face one another. The flanges 29 of the guides 2'7 and 28 lie inwardly of and parallel with the inner surfaces 33 of the abutments 23 and 24 and are spaced a short distance from the surfaces thereof for a purpose to be subsequently Upon the base 22 and to the left of the plate 29 when the device is viewed as in Fig. '7 are disposed two parallel plates 34 and 35 which overlie the flanges 30 of the guides 2'7 and 28. These plates are attached to the base 22 through screws'36 and 37 rotaivs of which the screws 3'7 pass through the flanges 30 of the guides 2'7 and 28 and serve to hold said guides in rigid position. The plates 34 and 35 are spaced from one another as designated at 38 and the spaced portions of these plates overlie a groove 39 in the base 22 coextensive with the length of said plates to form a T slot 40 having a function to be presently described in detail.

In mounting the box, the same is placed between the abutments 23 and 24 and against the stop 26 with the bottom 10 thereof lying directly upon the plate 29. In order to hold the various flanges of the box in place, a number of devices are used which will now be described in detail. For the purpose of retaining the flap 15 in open position, the base 22 at the ends of the guides 2'7 and 28 is slightly depressed or formed with a transverse beveled groove 41. At such locality the extreme end 42 of the plate 29 is bent to follow along the depression or groove 41 and reaches down to the lower end thereof. The ends of the plates 34 and 35 adjacent the groove 41 are doubled back upon themselves as indicated at 43 in Fig. '7 to overlie the extreme end of the portion 42 of the plate 29. The doubled over part 43 of the plates 34 and 35 are preferably on a slant with respect to the portion 42 of the plate 29 and is spaced therefrom so that said parts form a groove 44 for the reception of the extreme end of the flap 15. In inserting the box in the device, the flap 15'of the box is placed between the abutvments 23 and 24 and slid along until the free edge of the flap 15 engages within the grooves 44. The box may then be dropped in position behind the stop 26.

For the purpose of guiding the flap 15 into the groove 44, the two extreme ends of the flanges 29 of guides 2'7 and 28 are formed with upwardly curved edges 45 which assist in directing the flap 15 as the same is moved along the portion 42 of plate 29. The fiap 15 is further directed into said groove through the rounding of the plates 34 and 35 formed by the doubled over portion 43 thereof.

The side flaps l6 and 1'7 of the box 9 are held in position by the following construction. The abutments 23 and 24 are preferably constructed as castings and immediately beyond the ends of the guides 27 and 28 are formed with depressions or angular pockets 46 and 4'7. In these pockets are disposed leaf spring fingers 48 and 49 which are secured to the abutments 23 and 24 within said pockets through screws 50. The fingers 48 and 49 are normally sprung outwardly from the surface 33 of the abutments 23 and 24 to leave grooves 51 and 52 therebetween into which said flaps may be directed upon inserting the box into the device. When the flaps l6 and 17 lie between these fingers as shown in Fig. '7 said flaps are retained in open position.

For holding the flap l8 and the top 11 of the box 9 in open position, a structure is employed which is best shown in Figs. 5, '7 and 8. To the upper portions of the abutments 23 and 24 are attached through screws 53 two leaf springs or arms 54 and 55 which extend upwardly therefrom as most clearly shown in Fig. 6. These arms have mounted upon the extreme ends thereof a transversely disposed round rod 56 which is attached to said arms through screws 57. Upon the central part of this rod is secured a U-shaped spring clip 58 having an upper portion 59 and a lower portion 60. The upper portion 59 is attached to the rod 56 through screws 61 while the lower portion thereof is normally in engagement with the rod 56 and extends downtime the flange is moved upon the portion 77' of the surface 81 of the former 76. As the sup-- port continues to move toward the box 9, theflange 70 follows along the twisted surface 81 of the former 76 and is gradually elevated. 'Fig. 10 shows the relation of the parts as the elevation of. the flange 70 commences. In Fig. 11 the disposition of the parts is shown with the flange 70 further elevated. When the structure reaches the: portion 78 of the surface 81 of the former 76 theflange 70 is disposed at right angles to the base 22: andthe body of the support and parallel with. the flange 91. It is to be noted that the flange 85- of former 83 terminates when the surface 81. indicated at 78 becomes at right angles to the: base 22 so that the flange 70 of the support 71 may lie in close contact with the flange 69. The parts when so disposed are clearly shown in Fig. 9 and the function of the keeper 82 to hold the: flange in position is clearly brought out in thisfigure. As the support is further moved along' the guides 27 and 28, the flanges 70 are progres-- sively formed and bent in erect manner and the: support directed into the box proper. As soon asthe flange 70 passes the portion 78 of the surface 81 of the former 76, the same engages the spring fingers 48 and 49 which direct the runners formed. thereby into the box. At the same time, the: upper portion of the garment may engage the portion 60 of member 58 and the corresponding portion 64 of members 62 and 63 to guide thesupport with the garment thereon into the box.

.During the insertion of the support and article into the box, the member 26 previously referred. to serves as a stop for preventing the movement of the box away from the various members for holding the flaps in open position. By reciprocating the plunger 72, the full amount, the support 71 with the garment 66 applied thereto may be completely inserted in the box. Thereafter it is merely necessary to remove the box by lifting thesame outward from the base 22 at the end there-- of adjacent the stop 26 and close the flaps 16, 17,. 15 and 18 in the requisite manner. It is to be.- noted in Fig. 2 that the flanges 79 of the support 71 are slightly longer than the body thereof. This. provides a space for the portion of the garmentturned over the edges of the support and serves to hold the support immovable within the box through contact with the protruding ends of said flanges and independent of the garment. It can. readily be comprehended that the packing of the articles within the box can be rapidly effected due to the simultaneous bending of the flanges and insertion of the supported article into the box. When the support is within the box the spring of the flanges 69 and 70 causes the flange 70 to lie snugly against the side walls 12 and 13 of the box so as to hold the supportimmovable in that direction. The flange 70 is preferably constructed of a height equal to the height of the box with the ends thereof limiting the movement of the support 71 toward and from the front and back 19 and 11. lhe flange 69 is preferably half the size of the flange 70 so that the support 71 is medially positioned within the box.

My invention is highly advantageous in the following respects. With my invention the articles can be rapidly packed within the boxes. When the articles are disposed within the box, the same are held from movement through the supporting member therefor and the supporting member is retained in position independent of the 69 follows between the flange 85 of the former 83 and the flange 29 of the guide 28. At the same:

article carried thereby. The flanges for engagement within the box are automatically bent upon insertion of the support into the box. The device can be constructed at a nominal cost, is very simple to. operate, and will not readily get out of (order.

Changes in the specific form of my invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope KOT what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for packing articles in boxes adaptred to be opened at one end comprising a base, means for supporting a box upon said base with the end thereof open, a guide on said base for slid- :ably supporting a cardboard support adapted to support an article to be inserted into said box, .forming means on said base adapted to engage the ends of said cardboard support and to bend .flanges thereon serving as runners for engagement with the interior of the box to hold the support immovable within said box, and a plunger aslidable along said guide for moving said support :along said forming means to form the runners thereon and to insert the support and article within the box.

2. A device for packing articles in boxes adapted to be opened at one end comprisng a base, :means for supporting a box upon said base with the end thereof open, a guide in said base for slidably supporting a cardboard support adapted to support an article to be inserted into said box, forming means on said base adapted to engage the ends of said cardboard support and to bend flanges thereon serving as runners for engage- :ment with the interior of the box to hold the support immovable within said box, and means for retaining the formed runners on said support :in formed postion prior to the entrance of the .support into the box.

3. A device for packing articles in boxes hav- :ing flaps at one end adapted to be folded into open or closed position, comprising a base, means on said base for receiving and retaining a box at :a predetermined position, a lip for supporting one of the flaps of said box to hold the same in open position, means for supporting the other flaps of the box in open position, and means for sliding the article along said lip and into the box.

4. A device for packing articles in boxes having flaps at one end adapted to be folded into open or closed position, comprising a base, abutments formed on said base for holding a box in a predetermined position upon said base with the bottom of the box overlying said base, a bar extending across said box near the open end thereof and supported on said base, and a spring finger carried by said bar and adapted to receive and support the upper flap of said box to hold the same in open position, means for supporting the other flaps of the box, and means for inserting an article into the box through the open end thereof.

5. A device for packing articles in boxes having flaps at one end adapted to be folded into open or closed position, comprising a base, abutments formed on said base for holding a box in a predetermined position upon said base with the bottom of the box overlying said base, a bar extending across said box near the open end thereof and supported on said base, and a U-shaped spring clip attached at one end to said bar and underlying said bar for the reception of the upper flap of the box, said clip being adapted to hold said flap in open position, means for holding the other flaps of the box in open position, and means for inserting the article into the box through the open end thereof.

6. A device for packing articles in boxes having flaps at one end adapted to be folded into open or closed position, comprising a base, abutments formed on said base for holding a box in a predetermined position upon said base with the bottom of the box overlying said base, a pair of spring fingers lying along said abutment and hav-- ing the free ends thereof adapted to engage the side flaps of the box to hold the same in open position, means for holding the other flaps of the box in open position, and means for inserting articles into the box through the open end thereof.

'7. A device for packing articles in boxes having flaps at one end adapted to be folded into open or closed position, comprising a base, abutments formed on said base for holding a box in a predetermined position upon said base with the bottom of the box overlying said base, means forming a slide'for slidably supporting a support for an article to be inserted into the open end of said box, said slide lying substantially in the same plane as the bottom of the box, said base having a depression therein for receiving the lower flange of the box, and a member overlying the extreme end of said depression for engagement with a lower flap of the box to hold the same in open position, means for holding the other flaps in open position, and means for sliding the support for the article along said slide and into the box through the open end thereof.

8. A device for packing articles in boxes adapted to be opened at one end comprising a base, means for supporting a box upon said base with the end thereof open, a guide on said base for slidably supporting a cardboard support for an article to be inserted in the box, a downwardly extending former cooperating with said guide and adapted to bend a flange on said support, a downwardly extending former adapted to double said flange back upon itself, and a plunger for sliding said support along said guide to form said flange and insert the support into the box.

9. A device for packing articles in boxes adapted to be opened at one end comprising a base, means for supporting a box upon said base with the end thereof open, a guide on said base for slidably supporting a cardboard support for an article to be inserted in the box, a former in the shape of an angle attached to said base and having a leg extending downwardly from and in spaced relation to said guide, said leg being gradually tapered to bend a downward flange on said support, and a former cooperating with said first named former having a surface tapered upwardly from said base and gradually changing angularity from a horizontal to a vertical direction and cooperating with said other former to bend said flange back upon itself, and a plunger slidably mounted along said guide for forming the flange on said support and for sliding said support into the box.

10. The method of packing fabric articles in boxes having an open end which consists in placing an article upon a base and in between two guides formed thereon, in placing a cardboard 

